The other three candidates had 438 votes, and there were 10 provisional ballots cast. But on Wednesday, Mosley said only four of those provisionals were cast in the Ward 5 race.

If all four were for Phillips it would give him exactly 50 percent, not the 50 percent plus one vote required to avoid a runoff.

Phillips will go against David Morris who got 208 votes, or 24 percent of the total votes cast.

Provisionals almost came into play in the Ward 3 race. Alvin Currington led with 179 votes to claim one runoff spot.

But only four votes separated No. 2 Lynne Dodson with 142 and No. 3 Jerome Cantrell with 138. There is no possibility of a runoff, however, because only three of the 10 provisional ballots were cast in the Ward 3 race, giving Dodson the No. 2 spot by a vote even if all three provisionals go to Cantrell.

Other runoffs in Gardendale are Oscar Mann and Othell Phillips for mayor and Gary Morris and Mike Burkett in Ward 2. Winning without a runoff were incumbent Peggy Tumlin in Ward 1 and newcomer Faith Harper in Ward 4.